At least 7 dead after Missouri-bound medical flight crashes in Philadelphia, officials say
Seven people are dead after a medical evacuation flight bound for Springfield, Missouri, crashed in northern Philadelphia Friday evening, the Associated Press reports.
The plane, a Learjet 55, had departed from Northeast Philadelphia Airport at 6:06 p.m. Eastern Standard Time and was on the way to Springfield-Branson National Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The crash took place around 6:30 p.m. Eastern, or 5:30 p.m. Central Standard Time. Six people were on board.
The Associated Press reported that the jet’s final destination was Tijuana and that all six passengers were from Mexico. The passenger list included four crew members, a pediatric patient and her mother, according to a statement from Jet Rescue Air Ambulance, the Mexico-based air ambulance company coordinating the flight.
Saturday morning, officials confirmed seven people died in the crash — six on the jet, one person on the ground — and 19 people were injured, the Associated Press reports.
It could take longer for officials to confirm the total number of people killed and injured.
“Our immediate concern is for the patient’s family, our personnel, their families and other victims that may have been hurt on the ground,” Jet Rescue said in a statement Friday.
Philadelphia mayor Cherelle Parker said at a Friday night news conference that several homes and vehicles were damaged in the crash, the Associated Press reported.
“This is still an active scene under investigation,” Parker said, according to the AP.
The FAA issued a ground stop for all planes at Northeast Philadelphia Airport following the crash. The organization will launch an investigation into the crash in conjunction with the National Transportation Safety Board.
The crash came two days after a passenger flight from Wichita to Washington, D.C., collided with a military jet just before landing at Ronald Reagan National Airport. The crash is thought to have killed 67 people, including three military members and several nationally ranked junior figure skaters.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
The Star’s Kendrick Calfee contributed to this report.
This story was originally published January 31, 2025 at 9:20 PM.
